Scottish Executive

Alzheimer's Disease

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) treatments and (b) drugs are available for people with severe Alzheimers disease.

Mr Tom McCabe: Individual care programmes, including psychological interventions, are a matter for clinicians in consultation with the relevant professional staff/multi-disciplinary and multi-agency team. Care and support in each case should always be based on individually assessed needs.

  Only Ebixa is currently indicated for treating moderate to severe dementia in Alzheimers disease. However, the Scottish Medicines Consortium recently advised that Ebixa was not recommended for use in NHSScotland.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns it has in relation to the 62% of anti-social behaviour orders that result in a perceived improvement in behaviour.

Ms Margaret Curran: The latest report on the use of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) by the Chartered Institute of Housing, which was commissioned by the Scottish Executive, provided a range of useful information on the use of ASBOs in the period 1 December 2001 to 31 March 2003.

  Information on perceived changes in behaviour as a result of ASBOs, based on reports from local authority officials, is one subjective but useful indicator of their effectiveness. The report concluded that ASBOs are becoming an effective tool in tackling antisocial behaviour. The figure quoted supports this conclusion.

  The Executive will continue to work with local authorities and other agencies to promote sharing of good practice on the use of ASBOs and thus further improve their effectiveness.

Audiology

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there are for specialist audiologists, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Tom McCabe: Information on numbers of vacancies for audiologists is not centrally available.

Council Tax

Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dwellings there are in each council tax band, broken down by local authority area.

Tavish Scott: The number of dwellings for each local authority and council tax band is shown in the table.

  Number of dwellings(1) on the Valuation List on 1 September 2003

  

 
 Band 
  A
 Band 
  B
 Band 
  C
 Band 
  D
 Band 
  E
 Band 
  F
 Band 
  G
 Band 
  H
 Total


 Scotland
 581,665
 582,367
 368,453
 285,679
 287,804
 145,657
 95,886
 10,904
 2,358,415


 Aberdeen City
 21,844
 27,887
 17,374
 11,735
 12,771
 7,387
 6,560
 722
 106,280


 Aberdeenshire
 20,825
 15,516
 13,072
 15,176
 17,211
 10,668
 6,761
 425
 99,654


 Angus
 15,494
 12,220
 6,484
 7,269
 6,201
 2,153
 1,084
 146
 51,051


 Argyll and Bute
 8,127
 9,511
 9,361
 5,508
 6,660
 3,444
 2,296
 216
 45,123


 Clackmannanshire
 6,471
 7,060
 1,744
 2,167
 2,515
 1,077
 608
 40
 21,682


 Dumfries and Galloway
 11,477
 22,504
 10,635
 8,864
 9,079
 3,900
 1,887
 151
 68,497


 Dundee City
 32,622
 16,497
 7,424
 7,640
 5,493
 1,790
 785
 46
 72,297


 East Ayrshire
 27,075
 9,394
 4,136
 5,148
 5,030
 2,225
 454
 37
 53,499


 East Dunbartonshire
 1,314
 3,783
 7,956
 6,971
 10,684
 6,245
 5,545
 470
 42,968


 East Lothian
 1,174
 9,200
 13,544
 4,877
 4,989
 3,417
 2,880
 480
 40,561


 East Renfrewshire
 1,375
 5,237
 3,836
 5,941
 7,980
 5,791
 5,627
 658
 36,445


 Edinburgh, City of
 24,531
 45,417
 40,407
 32,153
 34,151
 21,133
 18,230
 3,217
 219,239


 Eilean Siar
 4,960
 3,670
 2,653
 1,421
 765
 120
 35
 6
 13,630


 Falkirk
 22,700
 18,730
 5,790
 7,446
 7,180
 3,295
 1,291
 46
 66,478


 Fife
 42,257
 47,807
 19,625
 16,802
 19,272
 9,291
 4,823
 391
 160,268


 Glasgow City
 81,692
 74,758
 61,041
 35,611
 23,251
 8,736
 5,008
 643
 290,740


 Highland
 20,214
 22,626
 20,133
 15,338
 14,742
 6,358
 2,984
 310
 102,705


 Inverclyde
 22,964
 4,901
 2,765
 2,780
 3,088
 1,600
 1,186
 169
 39,453


 Midlothian
 1,001
 11,783
 9,704
 3,822
 3,900
 1,899
 1,243
 148
 33,500


 Moray
 11,982
 9,930
 5,721
 5,328
 4,453
 1,406
 489
 107
 39,416


 North Ayrshire
 21,942
 18,253
 5,937
 5,829
 7,694
 2,508
 989
 43
 63,195


 North Lanarkshire
 54,705
 36,431
 16,592
 13,092
 12,408
 4,544
 1,764
 70
 139,606


 Orkney Islands
 3,064
 2,651
 1,861
 1,374
 842
 164
 16
 2
 9,974


 Perth and Kinross
 9,240
 14,562
 10,631
 8,856
 10,270
 5,833
 4,194
 553
 64,139


 Renfrewshire
 15,618
 25,790
 12,101
 9,339
 9,450
 5,154
 2,927
 201
 80,580


 Scottish Borders
 16,494
 12,535
 6,154
 5,069
 5,323
 3,552
 2,840
 360
 52,327


 Shetland Islands
 3,211
 1,781
 2,468
 1,455
 933
 166
 36
 2
 10,052


 South Ayrshire
 7,414
 12,455
 8,182
 7,567
 8,906
 4,250
 2,648
 220
 51,642


 South Lanarkshire
 37,611
 29,482
 22,425
 16,628
 15,388
 7,801
 4,181
 306
 133,822


 Stirling
 6,579
 8,318
 3,901
 3,812
 5,678
 4,546
 4,175
 557
 37,566


 West Dunbartonshire
 8,271
 17,657
 7,260
 4,310
 4,342
 1,361
 463
 30
 43,694


 West Lothian
 17,417
 24,021
 7,536
 6,351
 7,155
 3,843
 1,877
 132
 68,332



  Source: As reported by local authorities on statistical return CTAXBASE (03).

  Note: (1) Excludes free standing lock ups.

Domestic Abuse

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce legislation on domestic violence in line with that in England and Wales if the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill is passed.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: A number of the measures incorporated in the bill are already in place in Scotland. We have no plans at present to introduce further legislation but we will monitor the situation closely.

Enterprise

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it receives value for money for Scottish Enterprises investment in the Institute for System Level Integration given the number of students enrolling in 2002-03 who were from the United Kingdom.

Mr Jim Wallace: As part of project Alba, the Institute for System Level Integration has been supported in line with the commitment in Smart Successful Scotland to move to a technologically innovative, knowledge based economy.

  Funding issues in relation to the Institute itself are an operational matter for the main funding partners Scottish Enterprise, University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh University. Non-UK students are self-funding.

Fire Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) part-time and (b) full-time fire officers were serving in the Scottish Fire Service in each year since 1997 in each region.

Hugh Henry: The actual numbers of staff in post in each of the eight Scottish brigades is shown in the following tables. It should be noted that the figures are summaries of the more detailed information compiled by Her Majestys Fire Services Inspectorate for Scotland and set out in their annual reports.

  Central Scotland Fire Brigade

  

 Year
 Full-Time

 Part-Time
Retained
 Part-Time
Volunteer


 1996-97
 243
 154
 9


 1997-98
 241
 153
 10


 1998-99
 240
 162
 10


 1999-2000
 243
 173
 7


 2000-01
 242
 144
 7


 2001-02
 236
 150
 7


 2002-03
 242
 158
 11



  Dumfries and Galloway Fire Brigade

  

 Year
 Full-Time

 Part-Time
Retained
 Part-Time
Volunteer


 1996-97
 92
 183
 16


 1997-98
 99
 192
 16


 1998-99
 98
 194
 9


 1999-2000
 101
 194
 9


 2000-01
 98
 197
 9


 2001-02
 104
 193
 9


 2002-03
 108
 201
 7



  Fife Fire and Rescue Fire Brigade

  

 Year
 Full-Time

 Part-Time
Retained
 Part-Time
Volunteer


 1996-97
 380
 96
 0


 1997-98
 384
 95
 0


 1998-99
 379
 102
 0


 1999-2000
 384
 104
 0


 2000-01
 372
 100
 0


 2001-02
 382
 112
 0


 2002-03
 388
 106
 0



  Grampian Fire Brigade

  

 Year
 Full-Time

 Part-Time
Retained
 Part-Time
Volunteer


 1996-97
 334
 419
 34


 1997-98
 335
 427
 36


 1998-99
 332
 412
 32


 1999-2000
 319
 430
 24


 2000-01
 322
 413
 23


 2001-02
 332
 396
 28


 2002-03
 344
 391
 27



  Highland and Islands

  

 Year
 Full-Time

 Part-Time
Retained
 Part-Time
Volunteer


 1996-97
 108
 385
 918


 1997-98
 119
 448
 889


 1998-99
 127
 509
 864


 1999-2000
 132
 497
 869


 2000-01
 132
 506
 918


 2001-02
 134
 597
 767


 2002-03
 130
 498
 848



  Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade

  

 Year
 Full-Time

 Part-Time
Retained
 Part-Time
Volunteer


 1996-97
 739
 289
 0


 1997-98
 742
 293
 0


 1998-99
 736
 287
 0


 1999-2000
 745
 311
 0


 2000-01
 759
 310
 0


 2001-02
 757
 317
 0


 2002-03
 725
 308
 0



  Strathclyde Fire Brigade

  

 Year
 Full-Time

 Part-Time
Retained
 Part-Time
Volunteer


 1996-97
 2,197
 602
 250


 1997-98
 2,195
 638
 257


 1998-99
 2,187
 622
 255


 1999-2000
 2,194
 627
 216


 2000-01
 2,212
 639
 251


 2001-02
 2,199
 615
 222


 2002-03
 2,168
 596
 255



  Tayside Fire Brigade

  

 Year
 Full-Time

 Part-Time
Retained
 Part-Time
Volunteer


 1996-97
 407
 248
 41


 1997-98
 407
 254
 44


 1998-99
 407
 259
 45


 1999-2000
 404
 254
 41


 2000-01
 406
 246
 38


 2001-02
 408
 240
 26


 2002-03
 401
 249
 27

Fire Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many attacks on fire fighters there have been in each fire authority region in each of the last five years.

Hugh Henry: Her Majestys Fire Services Inspectorate began compiling figures for attacks on fire service personnel in 2002-03 based on returns from brigades. There are no centrally coordinated statistics for the earlier years.

  The figures for 2002-03 are as follows:

  Total Number Of Incidents

  

 
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9


 Operational Personnel 
 13

 3
 26
 7
 0
 36
 88
 14
 187


 Non-Operational Personnel 
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2
 0
 2


 Total
 13
 3
 26
 7
 0
 36
 90
 14
 189



  Notes:

  1 Central Scotland Fire Brigade

  2 Dumfries and Galloway Fire Brigade

  3 Fife Fire and Rescue Service

  4 Grampian Fire Brigade

  5 Highland and Islands Fire Brigade

  6 Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade

  7 Strathclyde Fire Brigade

  8 Tayside Fire Brigade

  9 Scottish Total

  As the request for brigades to record these incidents was made part way through the reporting year, it should be noted that the information shown represents only a partial picture of the problem of attacks on fire service personnel in 2002-03

  Further details can be found in the 2002-03 report of Her Majestys Chief Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2864 by Malcolm Chisholm on 6 October 2003, how many calls there have been to the healthyliving line in each month since September 2003.

Mr Tom McCabe: The number of calls to the healthy living advice line between 1 September 2003 and 25 January 2004 are as follows:

  

 Month
 Number of Calls


 September
 1,321


 October
 930


 November
 660


 December
 319


 January
 279

Holyrood Inquiry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has provided all relevant documents that relate to the designer competition to the Holyrood Inquiry and who within the Executive is responsible for ensuring that all such documents are provided.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The Executive has co-operated fully with Lord Frasers Investigation in the provision of relevant documents to the Inquiry and has also provided documents to witnesses who have then submitted them in support of their evidence to the inquiry.

  A small team has been set up within the Executive to co-ordinate the submission of documents to the Inquiry and to liaise with witnesses and the inquiry team.

Justice

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with Her Majesty's Government in respect of revenue raised from road traffic fines in Scotland remaining in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: The income from Fixed Penalty Notices generated by speed and red light cameras operated within the Scottish Safety Camera Programme may be applied within Scotland for approved programme purposes, by agreement with HM Treasury. The Executive is also in discussion with HM Treasury with a view to applying the same arrangements in respect of offences detected by other camera equipment including failure to display a licence disk, driving without insurance and driving without a valid MOT.

Licensing

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the report by the working group on off-sales in the community will be published.

Cathy Jamieson: The report by the working group on off-sales in the community is being published today. I am very grateful to Peter Daniels and his group for producing their report within a short timescale and for their business-like and consensual approach.

  We welcome the report and its recommendations, which build on the proposed foundations for a new licensing system set out by the Nicholson Committee but give further consideration to the very real concerns raised with ministers by communities throughout Scotland during consultation on the Antisocial Behaviour Bill.

  In particular, we endorse the working groups recommendation on a new approach to objections and representations which will ensure the communitys voice is heard before decisions are made about licensed premises. This approach will be reflected in our white paper in due course.

  The Executive will also endorse and promote a No Proof No Sale initiative for Scotland as recommended in the report as an important means of tackling underage drinking. We will work closely with the Scottish Retail Consortium and the Scottish Grocers Federation to take this forward.

  In addition, to underline the importance of this initiative, we propose that premises licences under a new licensing system should include a standard premises licence condition for off-licences that they should operate a no proof, no sale policy.

  The Executive can also see the benefit in principle in test purchasing for alcohol as a useful means of targeting underage sales, but we appreciate that there are important issues relating to the welfare of children. The Lord Advocate will be exploring with stakeholders whether there is scope for extending test purchasing to alcohol in light of the tobacco test purchasing pilots.

  To enhance the reports approach to an inclusive licensing system, and to reflect the concerns of our communities about off licences in particular, we also propose to do more to tackle over provision and the anti-social behaviour that can be associated with it. This is designed to build on the framework proposed by the Nicholson Committee.

  The proposed statutory guidance to be issued by Scottish ministers would include a specific requirement for off-licences ensuring that the local Licensing Board must make a proactive assessment of local provision, in consultation with the police and local communities, before the new regime takes effect.

  The proposed National Licensing Forum would be asked to provide early advice on what constitutes over provision and how it should be tackled.

  In addition, in recognition of concerns raised in the consultation responses to the Nicholson Report, our preference is to reverse the Nicholson presumption regarding unrestricted access of children to licensed premises and to require premises to opt in rather than opt out. Opting in would be done through operating plans and subject to a set of national statutory conditions. It would apply to all licensed premises.

  We want to create a new licensing system for Scotland which is flexible but robust in dealing with local circumstances and local problems. The system has to be inclusive as well as efficient. It will also be important to create a system in which both the public, licensing boards and the licensed trade can have full confidence. This report will help us to do that.

  Our announcement today represents a further concrete step forward in tackling anti-social behaviour in our communities. The recommendations in this report will be given more detailed consideration alongside the responses to the consultation on the Nicholson Report. Those responses are being independently analysed and that analysis will be available in early March. Thereafter ministers will publish their views and continue the process of debate and engagement with communities. We expect this to lead to a new Licensing Act for Scotland.

  The report can be viewed on the Scottish Executive website and copies are available from the Scottish Parliaments Information Centre (Bib. number 30785).

Police

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to each police force in each of the last three years, expressed also on a per capita basis.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  Police Funding Allocations

  

 Force Area
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04


 
 Funding
Allocation
m
 Per
Capita

 Funding
Allocation
m
 Per
Capita

 Funding
Allocation
m
 Per
Capita



 Central
 36.0
 129
 37.4
 134
 40.7
 146


 Dumfries and Galloway
 23.0
 155
 23.5
 160
 24.9
 169


 Fife
 44.6
 127
 45.0
 129
 49.9
 142


 Grampian
 69.3
 132
 73.3
 140
 79.2
 151


 Lothian and Borders
 142.8
 161
 151.1
 170
 161.3
 182


 Northern
 43.1
 156
 44.1
 160
 47.1
 171


 Strathclyde
 375.8
 170
 394.3
 179
 424.9
 193


 Tayside
 62.2
 160
 64.3
 166
 70.0
 178



  Notes:

  1. The figures include police Grant Aided Expenditure and, in those years where it was paid separately, additional funding for additional recruitment, DNA testing and the National Intelligence Model. Other additional funding provided to forces for specific purposes (for example in 2001-02 and 2002-03 for additional pressures post 11 September) has not been included. The figures do not include capital expenditure by forces.

  2. Estimated population at 30 June 2001 has been used to calculate the figures for 2001-02. Estimated population at June 2002 has been used for the remaining two years.

Smoking

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to encourage as many people as possible to make a submission to the consultation on smoking in public places, as announced in A Breath of Fresh Air for Scotland .

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive will take a two phased approach.

  Phase 1 will involve a combination of evidence-gathering through commissioned research (e.g. into international experience of the health benefits/economic impact of statutory controls) and an awareness raising campaign to inform the general public and the business sector of the risks associated with second-hand smoke (e.g. the new passive smoking advertisements by NHS Health Scotland).

  Phase 2 will take place this summer, with the launch of a set piece consultation using innovative means to gather views; regional events and a Scottish conference with invited international speakers with experience of different approaches to reducing the harm associated with passive smoking.

Sport

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any recognised qualifications for the post of personal fitness trainer; whether it will produce guidelines for any such qualifications, and whether it will ensure that proper regulation and accreditation of personal fitness trainers will take place as soon as practicable.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Executive has a commitment to encourage more people to act as coaches and physical activity trainers. This is essential if we are to meet our targets of increasing activity levels in the population.

  An SVQ level 3 in personal training is available from any accredited centre. There are also a number of independent companies in Scotland who deliver training to become a personal fitness trainer, but who validate their qualifications internally. These qualifications are recognised by employers in the health and fitness industry.

  At present, the Executive has no plans to produce guidelines for qualifications offered by independent companies. This is a matter for the industry to consider to ensure that only appropriately trained and competent instructors are allowed to offer their services to the general public. Fitness Scotland, the recognised governing body in Scotland, maintain a register of qualified instructors and the public should be reassured that instructors on the Fitness Scotland Register are appropriately qualified.

Teachers

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether teachers currently in employment and contributing to pension schemes in the expectation of retirement at 60 will remain able to retire at that age should the Department for Work and Pensions seek to raise the retirement age.

Tavish Scott: We would confirm that, whatever future changes are made to the pension age, teachers currently in service before 2006 will retain the right to draw their pension at age 60. Current teachers will be able to continue to earn benefits under the present arrangements in respect of service up to a date yet to be agreed but likely to be around 2013. All benefits accrued prior to this date will be safeguarded. It will be possible for benefits earned after the changes are implemented to be paid at age 60 but with an actuarial reduction applied to reflect that the post change element is being paid early.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer what the estimated cost for architects fees for the Holyrood project was in (a) March 2001, (b) March 2002, (c) March 2003 and (d) December 2003.

Mr George Reid: : I am informed by the convener of the Holyrood Progress Group that the estimated cost for architects scale fees for the dates requested are as follows:

  

 Date
 Cost ( Million)


 March 2001
 7.54


 March 2002
 9.80


 March 2003
 11.45


 December 2003
 13.33



  The figure for December represents the final capped scale fee negotiated with the architects in August 2003. In addition, over the period, reimbursement for site based staff totals 1.7 million.

Holyrood Project

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Presiding Officer from where the Kemnay Granite used in the construction of the new Parliament building has come.

Mr George Reid: : The Kemnay Granite used in the construction of the new building came from Kemnay Quarry, Kemnay, Aberdeenshire.

Holyrood Project

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Presiding Officer what checks the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has undertaken on the financial viability of RMJM (Scotland) Ltd with regard to any costs that might arise from any litigation over the building of the new Parliament.

Mr George Reid: : The Parliament has a contract with RMJM (Scotland) Ltd, inherited by the SPCB from the Scottish Executive in June 1999, for the provision of mechanical and electrical services to the new building. The SPCB has since had no reason to carry out specific checks on the financial viability of the company. The client has protection in terms of company's professional indemnity insurance in the event of litigation.